A definition of privilege: “Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to.”
I consider myself privileged, though not in the economic or political sense. I consider myself privileged because I haven’t endured the same struggles as others. I am privileged because I’ve had a considerably stable upbringing and currently attend a well-ranked university, but mostly because I don’t face racial discrimination. The term ‘white privilege’ is referred to as a ‘privilege’ even though this should be a universal standard. This word denotes some sort of advantage or special right to white people.
Immediately people are offended by the phrase “check your white privilege.” By default, a person seems insulted and becomes defensive. Take a look at the article from a Princeton student a couple years back. He rants about how his grandparents came from nothing and his parents worked hard so that he could attend University. The freshman at the time ends with “I have checked my privilege. And I apologize for nothing.” You haven’t checked your privilege. Merely, you misunderstood the term. Better yet, you barely even scratched the surface with addressing the phrase. Urban Dictionary defines white privilege as, “Discriminating against white people is not only okay but enlightened and necessary.” Maybe you referenced that. This is why we never use urban dictionary to define terms for us.
White privilege means that we don’t face some of the harsh realities as other races. It doesn’t mean that white people have everything in life handed to them. It doesn’t mean white people don’t have to put in a great amount of effort and hard work to achieve their dreams. It means that we don’t have to consider “race” as a factor. Unfortunately, this is something other people face on a daily basis. I will never be able to put myself in another person’s shoes other than my own. I will never understand what it feels like to have a social stigma placed on me because of my race. I will never understand what it feels like to be part of a statistic taught in class, that African Americans are more likely to be pulled over than whites. These “privileges” should be basic rights for everyone.
I’ve been told I have white privilege on several occasions. I’ve heard first-hand stories of less serve persecution because the person is white. It saddens me to think that I am at an advantage because of my race, though I know I am because I don’t feel threatened because of my race. I don’t feel discriminated against because I am white. Not once have I been stopped because of my race. Not once was I denied an opportunity because of my race. Still think you should be offended by the phrase “white privilege?” White privilege isn’t saying your life can’t be difficult, but none of these difficulties occur because you are white.
I could list what I consider white privilege but that’s not my place. I haven’t been on the other end and can’t accurately attest to how a person of a different race feels about white privilege. Though I believe that people don’t understand the phrase and thus, feel threatened by the words. White privilege is not your economic standing or your college degree. White privilege is the idea that another person was prevented from the same opportunity as you due to their race. I believe in equality and will fight for that every day. I am not proud of my white privilege but I’ll admit that everyone has his or her own sense of it.
